Today, I assessed Steve.
Steve is a professional heavy vehicle driver who was hit with a sudden and unexplained medical episode back in February. For about six weeks, he was unable to work — very unwell, undergoing tests and specialist reviews, including a neurologist. Thankfully, his symptoms gradually resolved, and he’s been feeling completely back to normal for several months.
But like many employers and workers in this situation, Steve and his employer didn’t know how to safely and officially return him to driving.
His doctors weren’t sure what was required for a heavy vehicle medical clearance. That’s where Driving Well OT comes in.
🚦Our Role in Returning Drivers to Work
At Driving Well, we specialise in supporting workers with medical conditions to safely return to driving, with governance under the Austroads Assessing Fitness to Drive guidelines.
For many health conditions, these national medical standards recommend an occupational therapy driver assessment to determine whether the driver’s medical condition affects their ability to drive — especially when the driver holds a commercial or heavy vehicle licence.
We provide comprehensive assessments and case management for return to work:
C-class (private licence) OT driving assessment
– Clinical review of medical history, vision, physical and cognitive function, and road law knowledge
– On-road driving assessment with an OT driver assessor and driving instructor – if this is all ok, we can then proceed to the next stage of heavy vehicle assessmentHeavy vehicle (MR/HR/MC etc.) practical assessment
– Conducted with a qualified OT driver assessor and heavy vehicle instructor
– Delivered in conjunction with Brisbane Truck School at Hemmant
✅ Steve’s Outcome: Safe, Competent, and Cleared
Steve completed his C-class assessment a few weeks ago, and MC assessment today — and passed with flying colours.
He is cleared and ready to return to driving multi-combination vehicles professionally (after the paperwork is done of course). If this process had been started just three months earlier, both Steve and his employer would have avoided substantial financial loss.
💸 The Return on Investment (ROI)
Now if you weren’t already excited that Steve gets to have some normality back, and that his boss gets his truckie back on the road, and the circle of transportation continues, then hold onto your hats, cause this is about to get really exciting..
Thanks to the magic of ChatGPT, I was able to crunch some numbers about the average revenue and operational expenses involved in running a truck and transportation business. Here is the maths:
- Cost of OT assessment process (C + MC): $2,700
- According to my Chat search, estimated lost revenue from truck being off-road (3 months): $90,000–$150,000
- Driver wages paid or productivity lost over 3 months: $22,500–$32,500
→ Total potential cost avoided if cleared 3 months earlier: $112,500–$182,500 - ROI on $2,700 assessment investment: $40–$65 return for every $1 spent
That equates to 4,166.67% return on investment! Wowser!
💡 The Takeaway
When a professional driver has a medical condition, the path back to work can be unclear — for the worker, the doctor, and the employer.
But waiting can be extremely costly.
A timely occupational therapy driving assessment not only ensures safety — it can significantly reduce downtime and loss. At Driving Well, we bridge the gap between recovery and return to work with clinical insight, functional assessment, and practical road testing tailored for commercial drivers.
Need help navigating this process for your worker or client?
If you or someone you know requires an occupational therapy driving assessment, please feel free to contact Driving Well Occupational Therapy to arrange an assessment.
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Driving Well Occupational Therapy is a busy practice that provides OT driving assessment and vehicle modification services for people with medical conditions and injuries in Brisbane, Ipswich and northern Gold Coast. We service clients who are self-funding, NDIS and other compensable (WorkCover, NIISQ, TAC, iCare).
On behalf of the team at Driving Well Occupational Therapy and in the spirit of reconciliation, I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Turrbul and Yuggera country, where our team live and serve the majority of our clients, as well as to all Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to the land, sea and community. I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations people today.
On behalf of the team at Driving Well Occupational Therapy and in the spirit of reconciliation, I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Turrbul and Yuggera country, where our team live and serve the majority of our clients, as well as to all Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to the land, sea and community. I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations people today.
